16 de noviembre de 2008

This is just to say we have just created a new webpage in our website: 2008 USA Elections, given the fact this is no minor matter in the world.If you look at our navigation bar on your left, as you enter our site, you'll see a category called "Activities and Links" and in that, a section called "Culture". You'll find information about the Conference we are going to host (see yellow announcement - if you click it, you'll actually get to the aforementioned section) and a webpage with Obama's and McCain's audiovisual speeches, plus the written version of Obama's speech.Hope this is useful to expand your knowledge of English and also of the world! Best wishes

Hi!!I am first timer on the blog!!!Obama´s speech is great to me because of the way he encourages the audience. He said future is going to be difficult but we all together can change it ("as one country, as one nation").Although this idea is very popular between politics, he just used a new way to transmit it, half priest, half politician. cheers,iván

Fantastic that we have this section and I love the information on the right, we have a wonderful web and wonderful blogs too thanks to you Michelle, we are very lucky to have you looking after this. Thanks

Yesterday I took my intermediate students to the computers´room and thanks to Michelle´s work we were able to listen to Obama´s and Antony´s speeches. We were comparing both and then the students posted their opinions in different threads, in this one , and in Julius Ceasar¨s and even in The Importance of being Earnest´s. We are all very grateful to you, Michelle for this wonderful tool.More and more students are using it and improving their English. I hope you all keep posting, you´re doing very well and will do better.

This comment comes from other blog, but I've seen we have a specific one for this subject and I'm moving it here, just in case you like reading it. I have been reading Mr. Obama’s Acceptance Speech and I want to talk about the vocabulary. In my opinion, it is so basic that makes the speech very clear and easy to understand it, what gives me to think it has been written for everybody, as in the USA there are people from all over the World.

One of the most important things in his speech is that the first thing he does is to thank those people who have spent their time in a file, waiting for more than three hours, to vote. Things like that and others such as he doesn’t criticize his contrary, make his speech exemplar. So our politicians should learn of him.

I’ve read your opinions in this blog and I’ve learned that you are thanking Michelle. I agree with you, she’s an amazing person in some ways but one of the most important thing for our English study is that she’s so good at computers and she taught and encouraged us to use the Internet as much as possible, as a tool to improve it.

Today, our teacher has made the same as Michelle did, she has told us we should make an effort to post here, or in another blog, every day.

In my opinion she’s right, when I started to post in TP Forum, I had to spend a lot of time to write just three or four lines, and I had to think hard about what I wanted to say, how to say it, … it was a difficult process. Now, I don’t write in a perfect way, I need to improve my writing, but it doesn’t take me long and I can think in and write English at the same time. At first when I finished writing a little post I felt so tired but now I could be writing for ages.

I was absolutely delighted with Mr. Obama´s victory in the current presidential election on November the 4th, 2008.

In spite of not being "American", when I was listening to his first speech, once his feat had been announced worldwide, I could only feel pride and joy.

So many miles away, in Chicago, his supporters and voters had been waiting for that once in a lifetime moment. Mr. Obama´s wise words had led the audience to an upcoming reality: many challenges to go through in a country which had taken one step forward in defence of justice, democracy and liberty. He had already achieved a string of accomplishments but the best ones were yet to come.

And now the whole world is ready to appreciate his encouraging and hopefully blessed message at last.

An undoubtedly reliable ambassador to international peace and understanding is born! One nation´s spirit with an only voice! Let us hear what it has to say!

I would like to share such warm an admiration for Obama. Undoubtedly, this result is a change, but: Wouldn´t it be better to say: Let us see what Obama´s going to do than let us hear what he has to say? "Words are nice, actions are better" (Shakespeare). We know he knows what he has to do, the important thing is that he puts it into practice.

María, I agree with your Shakespeare´s quote but, in my view, I consider that the world has been waiting a turning point in the United States of America´s political priorities for a long time. Mr. Obama has been in the right place at the right time. Why cannot we trust him? Why cannot we believe in his promises selflessly? I hope he fulfill many of our expectations. Yes, he can.

Mario and Arancha I´m glad to see your comments, only two but it´s better than anything, Mario´s yours is very good and with good ideas, and Arancha´s is fine too though maybe next time try and write a few more sentences to practice.I agree that Obama has managed to contact with the people and give them hope in, as he himself says, very very difficult time. It often happens that people want change in difficult times, but Obama has had the insight to take advantage of that situation becoming the next president of the most powerful country in the world and a black man too. His ability as an orator has greatly helped him, it is quite impressive to see him and to hear him. I wish our politicians would learn a little and practise a little... they don´t even bother to speack well!

Hello everyone!I'm Cristina from 4ºa and this is my first comment in the blog, so I hope to do it well.In my opinion Obama's speech is delightful, he doesn't say anything that you can feel flabbergasted because these kind of things have been told many times. But he does in a friendly way and very closed to the people. I agree with Clara, his speech is made with easy vocabulary and clearly understandable. It has nothing in common with the speeches of our politicians, they speak a lot, but they don't communicate anything. They must learn a little with this speech. However, Do any of you think that our politicians have read this speech and they have stopped to analyse it? And the most important, Do they realize that it is a great speech?

In my opinion this speech is great. I have the impression that it makes all the americans feel included, and not only the supporters. So the change is sopposed to be promoted by everyone.

I also think that it is too soon to see how Obama is going to be like, but for sure, it is a great begining. It seems to be easy to be a better than Bush, but it will lead to some unpopular accions. He talks about that in the speech when he says that the change will not be simple, and there will be some people who will desagree, so... let see!

Most of you write about Obama´s speech´s style of language and most of you are fond of it -me too- I think it is because that language goes straight to the heart and mind.

Marta says that people want change in difficult times, I agree, but after november the 4th Obama will have to act quickly to restore confidence, do you agree?

Cris: welcome to the blog!. I´ll try to answer your questions -both-: honestly speaking my answer is YES, in my opinion politicians have a team of "professionals" and they must do it, do you know why? because Obama will chage the color of the history!!!!

Mario: thinking about the future I´m optimist, like you, I believe that the new President of the US will bring order, peace, understanding, stability and reason to a troubled world.

I'm optimist too as Mar said and Probably Obama will bring changes, and it may be good. But it's difficult to improve everything quickly so, the peace, understanding and the stability may walk slowly and We'll have to wait to see them, and as Jesus said, not everybody support Obama. The next monday we have a good meeting in the school and we'll learn more about this change, see you then.have a nice weekend!

Mr. Obama has to go through many upcoming challenges but the future goals are expected to be reachable even if we consider the failure that has been achieved by the previous Administration in its desperate implementation of many policies in order to manage a proper solution to the Financial System´s crisis.

Hi there, Cristina (adorable teacher) and Clara (adorable student)! :D Thanks so much for your kind words. Your good work, both at using ICTs and at teaching/learning English is amazing, so for me it's a kind of priviledge to have the chance to support it. :) So... we'll keep in touch! :) Big hug.

Cris a very good comment, I agree with you our politicians have NOT READ this speech, and if they had they wouldn´t make the most of it. Do you remember Rajoy´s little girl? a good idea that he turned into a joke. You have forgotten a couple of prepositions, in English they are always there.Jesús very well-written comment. Yes, at least we do realise the speech is good, and what you point out is important, the idea of including and of working together, here we never think of work, this is the "happy-go-lucky society",.Mar: Fond, is better for feelings I think "like" is better in this context or any other that is not so "human" so to say: favour, etc.Maybe you are a little too optimistic in your predictions, I just hope you are right. But don´t you think it´s practically impossible to do all that? You must think I am a pesimist, I suppose it is better to think the way you do.Cris, peace can´t walk, it goes. And you forgot the "s" in supports, but it is fine otherwise. I am very pleased with your comments, YES YOU CAN. I´m also looking forward to the lecture. I just hope you are all right and Obama is a wonder but not everything depends on him....Mario well done that is really an elated comment in tone and style I think we are going to make a fine group. I hope that you all read this so that we keep this "chat" up.Thanks to our beloved Michelle who has made all this possible and whom we just can´t do without, even in the distance she keeps on working for all of us in the department.... we are all moaning for her.

I think Obama’s speech was a fantastic marketing product. All Obama is a marketing product himself; he knows what to say depending on the target group, he can even say different things in different situations. Even though the speech is one of the best ones I have ever read in my life, I’ve got the feeling that the slogan “Yes, we can!” is another famous phrase that will make history, like the slogan “look for, compare and if you find something better get it” or the famous movie quotes “After all, tomorrow is another day!” or “May the force be with you”.So far, we only know that he has a fantastic campaign team. But will he have a fantastic government team as well? We will have to wait and see...

I agree with of you, YES WE CAN is going to end up being one of the successes of the century. I myself use it practically everyday and that is only the beginning...He who thought of the sentence really hit it!

I agree with YES WE CAN is a succesful sentence. And we have to keep it alive because it has a lot of energy and power to help us to improve. Yesterday afternoon in the lecture it was told that spanish enthusiasm in american political change is going to fall down in one and a half month or less,just when Obama does something wrong or spanish people think it is wrong, and perhaps then we forget this famuos sentence too or maybe we refuse it only because we are against americanisation. Regards to Michell, you were a wonderful teacher for me and you taught me not only english even a variety of ways to improve my english. I keep enjoying your tips of advice from talkingpeople, how to improve our skills and oher interestings things that there are in that web.

How wonderful a lecture we can attend yesterday! Not always can you listen to an expert like Mr Peredo who explained everything very well. THANK YOU VERY MUCHUndoubtedly, this school is the only one, the best!

The lecture given yesterday by professor Peredo was really interesting. I learnt a lot of things about the way in which the electoral campaign has been realized, the international situation Mr. Obama has to face, the American’s internal affairs etc.Professor Peredo spoke in a very understandable way and was quite entertaining. In spite of speaking about subjects such an economy, not very easy to understand by not specialised people, you could get the points easily. I want to thank from here the great opportunity given to us to listen to such a great specialist.In short, a fantastic speech, which was really worth listening to it, and by means of which we learnt a great number of thing about the world around us, the criteria which are the basic tenets of it, and the role The United States and its president have to carry out in the middle of such a grave international crisis.

I completly agree with Maria and Paloma, the lecture was very interesting we could undestand better style of EEUU to get a President, the primaries and how Spain has a similar primaries but in other way. What Obama is going to do or at least to try, and how many things aren't clear enough, for me a good question was: what is Obama going to do about Spain?, because He has not told anything about us and how are our relations going to be?Will he forgive Zapatero for his fault in front of EEUU's flag.

Yesterday, we had the privilege to attend a splendid lecture by professor Peredo, who cleared a lot of our concepts; it was a great learning experience for me. Brilliant, dynamic, and really interesting was his lecture and I hope we will have more opportunities like this.

I agree with you guys, what an interesting lecture we heard yesterday. It was highly instructive to listening to the ideas of such a well-informed person. I don´t know if he was biased or not, which is great becouse it means Mister Pereda tried to be as objective as possible.Among other important matters he talked about, one in especial attracted my attention. And it is the Bush´s very little interest on easier the situation to Obama.What a dirty behaviour! instead of trying to help the change of goverment to the country´s benefit, he is hindering the whole situation by pardoning his friens, rising them to civil servant positions or softening laws against endangered species hunting.Doesn´t he understand that his time has come to an end?

Hello to veryone.Yesterday, I hadn`t the pleasure to listen to the lecture done by Mr. Peredo, so I have fallen back on this blog to know what it was said there. After reading your comments, I have realised that the lecture was so good that deserves itself to be clasified as a high level one. I belive it tried to make us think about how hard can be a politician`s life, and what is real situation of our word`s political system. I think it`s a wonderful way to help us to understand, and to have our personal opinions about the "stream" that our society is in.

I´m very glad to read your comments because they show that you have enjoyed the lecture and have drawn ideas from it which is exactly the target that we had in the department when we thought of this activity, we can´t do it without you, so it´s fantastic to see your response. In my opinion the lecture was a success because it was a very good lecture, well structured with a lot of information and very entertaining, we had fun listening and we learnt which is precisely what we wanted. I´m glad to see the mature veiw in your comments not so much because you are so, but because you can express your ideas in good English!Thank you all for your attendance and enthusiasm, specially to those of you who value what we do. We do it for you, and the fact that you appreciate it is for us all the reward we want, for us the greatest pleasure is that you participate and improve and that you work together with us so that we can make the best school in Madrid, and we can do it. YES WE CAN

The lecture we listened to yesterday was illustrative and very entertaining, it´s good to know that everyone liked it. What I liked best is that we were able to get the picture of the whole situation better. Lots of things were mentioned and dealt with, I liked Pr. Peredo´s use of the adjective, it shows that he writes well and it gives the listener a very clear, though dense picture. I was very interested in some of the comparisons drawn with our situation and our politicians. one of my students said in class that Obama was like Zapatero...well this person has not read the speech that we handed out; there one can see that there are two very important issues for Mr. Obama: the unity of the country and the unity of the parties when they face the future and God. Can anyone see Zapatero in Obama´s shoes?We were also told that the campaign was amazing, well If we think of Anthony´s speech, rhetoric was then the means of convincing, persuading, internet is now the vehicule to do that, what do you think of this?

I have the same desire than Vicente, I'd like to have better politicians but... In spanish there is a useful sentence: comparing is awakful (I don'n know if it is the correct translation)and Carmen, I'd like to know who your student is. It's unbelivable that someone sees the minimun seemed betwen Obama and Zapatero. When has Zapatero said any clear, friendly and looking for the spanish unit?

I don´t see how anyone can compare Obama to Zapatero, they couldn´t be different. I don´t think Obama will have, or has if he already knows, a very good opinion of Spain when they tell him that we left Iran without giving notice.Cris you forgot thing in anything at the end of your comment.I also wish as Vicente and you that our politicians were better and that we studied rhetoric at school, like they do in the States so that we would speak better, and that we had the capacity to unite and feel that our country is great, but we still have a long way to go!

I don´t see how anyone can compare Obama to Zapatero, they couldn´t be different. I don´t think Obama will have, or has if he already knows, a very good opinion of Spain when they tell him that we left Iran without giving notice.Cris you forgot thing in anything at the end of your comment.I also wish as Vicente and you that our politicians were better and that we studied rhetoric at school, like they do in the States so that we would speak better, and that we had the capacity to unite and feel that our country is great, but we still have a long way to go!

I hope Obama will not remain anchored in the past, and that he will contribute towards building a good relationship with our country. I really think he is willing to bettering the situation, and he will succed. He doe´sn´t seem to be a resentful person, does he?

Obama is not like Zapatero at all. The same as United States of America is not like Spain. Everything is different. They are worried about the unity, and we are always praising what makes us different. Don´t you think? Elena said to me in class that to think in equality and unity makes them look like simple people. But simplyness is in fact greatness, don´t you think? Universal values are simple, and we have to recall them in everything we do. Being complicated makes us go far from the main objective and towar the quarrel. It is very complicated to explain it in English... Do you know what I mean?For example: Obama´s speech is full of Words (unity, freedom, nation) wich each American apporves and shares. Otherwise, Spanish politicians speak about their opinion, different points of view about many subjects that makes us quarrel, not universal values that Spanish people could share. Not until we change that, there will always be "two Spain" instead of "one nation".

As for Internet, it has been the main medium used in Obama´s campaign and has meant an amazing success. It may have been because of the target who uses it and also because of its new language. They have been captured and they have gone to the ballot box. Undoubtedly, his best success.Peredo said also that Obama has made history, firstly, because of being black. In fact, in the campaign, his condition has been very remarkable. But, what about Condoleeza Rice? Black and woman, worthy of notice... Did we value that in her as we are doing now in Obama? What´s the difference?

Hello,It´s my first comment in the blog, so sorry for my mistakes.Last Monday I had the opportunity to attend Pr. Peredo´s lecture and I really enjoyed it.He explained some aspects about the campaing and the most important five points of the change.Pr. Peredo said that probably Obama had created too much expectations, but I hope he will be able to satisfy the majority of them.

No wonder you won our contest, María, you have a brain and sense. You are also free, at least with your last comment, from ideas that most Spanish people seem to pick from family, newspapers, and not from their own heads and their private reflection. Elena...was second,this in a funny way shows she needs to develop and expand more, did you read that, Elena? I totally take your view, countries should have some sort of values, code, so to say by which to recognize peers, then at home, figurately speaking you can be different and eat whatever you like. Without this there is no progress, as you say a waste of effort trying to prove your point, trying to carry out your point!! The second point you mention, Condolezza Rice, well in my opinion this proves that all parties were concious of the importance of blacks and also of women. Condolezza I believe is a very capable successful woman greatly admired in her country, but does not have the magnetic charm Obama has.

MR. OBAMA'S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.Will he be to carry out what he has in his mind?.First of all he just wanted to show his gratitude to the voters telling them that the victory belonged to American people.He didn't leave the different social classes out of mention.Speaking in words that everyone could understand,without forgetting the traditional beliefs, customs, way of life etc. that have been in the American society for a long time, he expressed what he would like to change in the country and what he would want to reach for them in the years ahead.His speech has been encouraging, although all speeches of the politicians tend to have the same characteristics. In this case the speaker was the president elect.He didn't speak about the financial crisis,what could be either positive or negative, but he will probably do it in January.To finish, Mr. Obama should have to have been invited to the world rich countries meeting.

I have enjoyed reading your comments. Marta I don´t think Obama will be anchored in the past, he will hopefully look forward, because that is precisely what has made him win.The5ths have taken to the blog like they say in the song: love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. I mean it their element you thrive in it. It is your natural element, you move in it really well! You are going to end up writing in English better than in Spanish

I agree with Maria about unit in EEUU is totaly differet spanish unit. Here our politicians defend nationalism if we have small countries inside Spain will be better than if we only have Spain. Now if you want to work in Cataluña, Galicia, Valencia,... you realy need speak their lenguages if you can't, you won't work. Why do I have to do a state exam in gallego? I agree with learn the lenguage if I get a state job there to keep their culture, but I'm spanish and Galicia belong to Spain and for being civil servan there, there should be the posibility of doing the exams in spanish, because spanish is our culture as well. But is Zapatero thinking in this? Here politicians only think of getting votes.For me unit is very important, otherwise we'll suffer the discrimination between regions. In the same way that I've just comment we can see other regions doing something simmilar. For instance: Extremadura (it doen't has a native language)is thinking to ask a extremeña culture exam for foreigners (not extremeños people)before you do a public exam there. Well, this is happening but...

First, I would like to apologize to the English team for not attending to the Obama's lecture. I'm so sorry but I don´t have free time after the English class.I have read all above comments about Obama's speech.From my point of view, the speech is wonderful and I love his way of transmiting it. But I prefer to be cautious with the future since he has to face up to a very difficult situation.I wish him luck, if he manages to do it right the world will appreciate it.Thank you, Marta for you concept of teaching English. I think, it's the only way to improve. You have a intelligent method.

Cris it is "unity" or union. "need to speak" you must use the full inf. To think of or about, you only think in English. I have commented. I´ve corrected some mistakes, but it is a very good comment, I couldn´t agree more, we are making life more difficult for Spaniards and for Spanish speaking people when one of our greatest advantages is that a lot of people speak our language, we are wasting time and people´s brain in learning other languages that are fine but good for a region fullsptop.Nieves Obama is a proper noun so it takes no art: Obama´s lecture.an intelligent method. Thank you very much for your compliment I sincerely appreciate it, few people ever say what you have said, and it is very often the only motivation that one has as economically or recognisionwise it is the same to teach well or badly as the teacher gets no reward. It is the worst possible method but it is the one we have in Spain.I´m sorry you missed it, for it was really worth it, but your comment is very well-written, you have a very good level and it´ll get better if you follow my advice.

Obama's victory is actually the victory of communication. Both candidates symbolized the change(whichever their political ideas are) because that is what the Americans an the whole world need right now with a collapsed economical system between us.So, why Obama won so easily if both of them wanted to finish with the financial crisis?I think we have to find the answer to this question in the different ways they have followed during the campaign.Obama have taken advantage of the new technologies greatfully, so he have been able to encourage people who don't usually vote to participate in this elections, playing an important role in the election's day.McCain have also made a great effort to follow Obama's progress, but if we have to mention the great difference beteween them, that is Obama's skill of talking in public. He is able to convince everyone with the sound of his words. His speeches are full of emotion and conviction and encourage people to believe faithfully in what he is talking about. Once he has won the elections and he has become the president-elect of the United States of America, he have to go on with this way of enthusiasm and positivism to make the dream of the change come true.As Cris said, unfortunately in our country politicians still do not realise how important is the power of communication and they just waste their time with empty speeches which don't actually changes nothing in people's mind.

Hello Alvaro, I have just read your comment and I would like to add an another answer to your question, why Obama won so easily.....?. I don't remember where I read that: " a candidate never wins the elections, there is another one who loses them.I'm not sure if the translation is right enough, I hope you understand the meaning . For me the main question would be,why Obama won them instead of Hillary Clinton.....? Was it a fact of communication? Was it more believable Obama than Hillary? I can't answer because there are many factors to be considered.

Nieves was Obama more believable than Hillary?I suppose he had more supports in the end, it was in the speech in Chicago when he accepted to be the candidate to the presidency, where he must have given reasons for his having been chosen but I don´t know. It is a pity you couldn´t attend the lecture you could have asked!

Álvaro, I agree with you. Our politicians are empty and unable to move our hearts. Feeling emotion and hope is what makes us vote.Nieves, Obama won instead of Clinton because American people didn´t want to welcome the "olds", but someone new who could offer them a brand-new life. That´s what Pr. Peredo said.

A Fourth say..I see your point Alvaro, and I don't wan't to devaluate Obama, I love him and his campaign. However, you didn't mention George Bush, the worst president I've ever seen in my life, McCain is more or less his succesor, therefore Obama got and advantage with that, it's a fact that Obama has faced with the disadvantage of being an afro-american, but from my point of view George Bush has given him and all his team the key to winn this elections.

Regarding our Spanish politicians, I think they reserve their speeches to business and rich people, they treat us as "we" are, unculture population who don't complain, our problems are just Barça-Madrid games or who is Sara's Montiel boyfriend, or how different we're among Catalans, Vasques, or andalusian..We have the politicians that we deserve, because, as far I'm concerned we are afraid to complain in public, and they managed to confuse us while they are getting rich in silence..

Hi Jesús, I absolutely agre with you. The great problem in Spain is that Spanish people are conformist, don´t complain and don´t demand anything. What matters is quality (at information we see in papers, culture, art, politics...), except fo us.

I´d like to focus, and based my appreciation in Obama´s words `Yes, we can`, those that are also underlined by our teacher Marta in one of her comments,that is a real fact we can get study in the best language school in Madrid. But It must be done by we all, as obama says in his speech, because when we work togheter, we are nearer of getting our targets. In fact, I must say that when we arrive to EOI Goya, I couldn´t imagine that It were as good as I realised it was after very little time, though It doesn´t enjoy the good reputation that have another ones. In some way,It connects with Hamlet´s text that tells us appearances are not always true.

Why did Obama win so easily?, I think it was a mix of all of you said in this blog. The good communication was a great point, not worse oportiunity was the bad Bush's politic that forced people to look for a change. Hilary remembered old politicians and she didn't mean so much change as Obama, but also, She is a woman, when will a woman be able to lead the Nation (USA)? They prefered the change of the race instead of the gender. Now we can oly wait for Obama's correct accions.

I agree with Jesus' opinion about our illiterate society in some aspects and we have a mirrow in our politicians. But I totaly disagree with the differences between regions is a silly problem. I respect that each region has its own traditional things and its own identity, and wht you want, but the facilities that are given by the goverment should be the same for every regions, and currently it isn'n happening. If we don't begin to flight ones against others it is because of nobody complaints but if not only Teruel shouted it exists also others shouted at the same time, we'd see if it is really important or not. Now Christmas are coming and some regions are asking help, but they don't recive anything, others get help thank to their votes, and it's so sad that there is a campaing agaist catalan cava inside of Spain, Do we really preffer french champagne? or is it taking place because of the diffenences? Jesus, Think about this, I don't mind who is married with Sarita with Duches of Alba or whoever, but the nationalism for me are pretty serious.

Jesús a 4th sayS, don´t forget the s. You are right they are horrible, what we deserve but forget about rich and poor, we are what we want, I think we have to discharge for ever this duality, work a lot and you´ll be rich or better off. We have to be like the Anglo-Saxons, to think like them.Rebeca thank you for you opinion of the school, you are clever to realise not everybody does the same, take advantage of all that we can give you and you will improve."I´d like" is both for "to focus and base", "we can study" is better than we can get study, get is not necessary, it doesn´t make sense.Cris: Bush´s bad policy. Hillary reminded them..,...the differences between regions IT is a silly problem. If Teruel...shouts others would shout at the same time.Follow the order S+V+O+A you´ll never go wrong.I think you mean the same as him. He is worried that our politicians are only concerned with nacionalism, I think he is right, they are always giving to this or that region to get votes, and they don´t see the common benefit, they don´t think of Spain they think of Cataluña or the Basque regions.Some people are only interested in gossiping, don´t you think? Just watch TV for a minute and you´ll see what´s on.We have a problem brought about by the Autonomies, I don´t think it was a good idea to have them, I think the problem lies there, they are very expensive and they encourage regionalism.

Actually I have found some mistakes in the post I wrote some weeks ago, so Marta has to be right with the usfulness of this method!

I doubt wether we have the politicians we deserve or not, but in my opinion they are all far away from being reasonably good.

I am particularlly interested in the communicative process, so I think that whoever with a little bit of trainig could be much more convincing than they are. I don´t mean the political ideas, but the way of selling them to the audience. It is very sad to realize that the political class doesn´t have any adequate method to express their line of argument. Not even do they seem to have suitable ideas, and it is even more depressing.

It is funny becouse the word that has been promoted as the slogan of some politicians is "talante" (temper, attitude), which is, as latins would say a "flatus vocis" or an empty word, becouse it is itself meaningless: it has to be refered to another word. And it is symptomatic of the communicative skills of our political class.

(Let me repeat that it doesn´t have to do with the ideas, but with the method)

hello everybody.After enjoying our Christmas holidays, it´s time to return to daily work. However we are not the only ones who have to work again, there is another one that has to do the same, he is Obama, since we can´t forget he begins his legislature today, and I hope he opperates better then his predecessor.

Hi Rebeca. It´s not difficult to Obama to be better than Bush, in fact, any change would have been better. However, it is not today the day yet. January the 20th is the date of Obama´s investiture with party included (the previous night), I don´t know whether Barbra Streisand will be there or not... ;)

Thanks Maria for telling me that the real date is January the 20th, I believed it was the last Sunday, so sorry since I´m not very dated with politics. On the other hand, you are indeed right; every one of us could be better than Bush!I hope there will be a positive change for all the world after Obama´s investment´s begin.

"Hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope: In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation, a belief in things not seen, a belief that there are better days ahead." (Obama, 20th January)

The United States of America are full of contrasts, but in capacity of hoping, of surviving, they are of an opinion, they go together.

Hi Maria!, I admire you very much for the hard work you are doing in the blog this year,you are everywhere!. You are really amazing. Congratulations.I’ve seen your comment in the thread of Jane Eyre and I’m here to meet you and to speak a little about Mr. Obama.I’ve never been a person interested in politics but I must confess this man has dazzled me. Not only his speeches but also his way of looking at people, how he moves or addresses his audience…I enjoyed it very much reading his inaugural address. In my opinion is highly worth reading or listening to. It’s impossible for me imagine any Spanish politician speaking like that. We find in this speech a greatness which our politicians lack. However, I’ve been told that these speeches are written by a very young man, he must be very intelligent, although I don’t think Mr. Obama does not take part in its preparation or not be the one who gives the main ideas, later developed for the writer.From time to time it appears a great leader, sometimes for the worst but more often for the best. I hope Mr. Obama should be that leader, the World needs him.

Well, here we are again, after the Devil of Bush has arrived Obama God´s.It seems that Obama is the new American Idol, indeed, the “Inauguration Day” was followed by millions of Americans, it could mean that people rest their hopes in his hands.But, we know that life is a complicated matter and so unpredictable, even though Mr.Obama had planned it so perfectly.

For the time being, Mr. Obama came straightforward to the point, obviously, he cannot avoid to talk about “Crisis” or plays down, when it is something that most people see as complete failure, a disaster. Even though it is something that you probably do not want to think about or consider, you may have reached a point where it is impossible to pay your debts.If this is true, it is an option that you need to look into. Perhaps, Spanish people are quite optimistic and most of the time we don´t call things by their names. So, we have to learn to think in a new way.

This is the first time I read this thread for I hadn't noticed it before! Nevertheless, I have found some very interesting comments. And I have seen that Maria quoted me on something I said in class, which I want to explain.

First, I have to tell I liked very much Obama's speech. By the way, I was talking of it with my colleagues at work and they told me it is not him that writes them obviously. In fact, it is a young man, John Favreau, 27 years-old, that makes them up sitting inside a Starbucks... You may believe I am quite innocent but I didn't suspect it and was rather disappointed by that fact. Anyway, I like very much the contents of his last speech and obviously agree that we have no politician like him, but let's see what he may finally do.

Regarding my comment on Americans' simplicity, I meant that I have the perception of their being quite naive sometimes and meanwhile, rather extreme people, which is quite a frightful combination for so powerful a nation, to my view...

It's true their feeling of unity is enviable, but let's not forget they still have the death penalty, they had Bush reelected (!!), they are sometimes fond of TV censure while at the same time being very permissive with violence on TV or with people getting a gun easily. That bunch of contradictions (I suppose these are part of the American values), together with their great power and influence scare me a bit. Thus though I easily got fascinated by Obama's speech, I can't help being somewhat skeptical about that country...

I wish I were everywhere Paloma, but I´m not! I admire Obama as he appears to be aware of what is going to be on his shoulders, all troubles he must resolve, which is not easy at all. But he knows it. He enumerated all things that are not working out there (the economy, wars, health care, education at schools...). "But know this America: They will be met", he said. He makes people trust him, inspiring "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" and courage. As Susan says, they call things by their names which means that they know what they have to face to. Whereas in Spain everything is diffuse and darker.I see what you mean Elena. And I agree that they defend some things against human rights and that American people, as a mass, are oaves (the better examples are Homer Simpson and the previous reelected president). America, as I said above, is the country of the Contrast. You can find there everything, all happens there, and we are not surprised (boys that kill their fellows at schools and so on). They have good values as Unity, Freedom..., but at other matters they are really mistaken.

I’ve been thinking about topics. When speaking about America, we are got used to dipping into them, however the USA are a really enormous country, with very big distances and people with many different backgrounds. There must be all kind of people in such a country. But, in general they are proud of themselves,proud of what they do and proud of what they have achieved throughout their history, of their flag and their country. They can be very different from each other, but they still are American. And to those values, which make them feel they are a nation, (nothing to do with us, by the way) I it’s to which Obama is appealing. We are not like them, there are as many Spains as Spanish have, we are only interested in ourselves and have very few things that stuck us together as a nation. Our politicians are not very trustworthy either, so, what can we do? Where is our hope?

Paloma you are totally right. Their patriotism makes them powerful, because they are part of only one nation, wherever they come from, whatever their ideas are, first of all, they are American.What can we do?? To look around and to see what makes us equal and not to praise what marks a difference between us. Not to label people and to go together toward our common good. These would be good first steps.

Yes Maria, I agree with you, but our politicians, and even some judges, are still thinking in “The two Spains” and opening some bounds which should be closed one for all. Let the dead to be at peace. What happened didn’t was our fault. Let us forget, forgive and take a new path. Not the one from the “rights” and the “lefts” but the one from the democracy.

I really need to write that even many people doesn't agree with me, I am very proud to be SPANISH and I never change my country for another. I think very often that currently Spain is a good country, very different that forty years ago and I don't think our politicians (all of them no "rigths" and "lefts") are the worst, maybe they are not the best but they have been elected in democracy (a very important thing for me because I lived under a dictatorship and in that moment it was impossible to think in elections). I am sure many of them have tried to do the best for Spain even they sometimes have reached the objective and sometimes no. We can not say that all things are white or black there are others colours and anyway, always in my opinion we should think, why do we permit things that we don't like? We can the power to choose so it is time to go on not to go back. I like very much the new president of USA Mr. Obama and his fantastic speech, I hope sincerely he gets his target, he seems clever and honest but we'll see.

Rajoy has seen the good reception of Obama´s speech, and has tried to copy some ideas. However, at the best attempts, we are quarreling: "El líder popular aboga por crear un plan «de rescate» de valores que «están en crisis» por el «maltrato» del PSOE". Very resentful, isn´t it? Always mentioning PSOE and vexing it. PP´s leader also said this (excuse my translation): "Today, the true enemy is the fear of the future. Hope must overcome fear." and "Spain has to recover values, as the spirit of self-improvement over obstacles. It is neccessary a new patriotism".What do you think of that? Has he transmited hope?? I don´t think so. Spanish leaders, despite their words (usually inadequate), lack self-confidence and the gift of speech.

Mercedes, as to your question, we have what we deserve. We allow them to act as they want and we keep in silent. We don´t complain, and that´s why our politicians don´t explain what they do or not do, since we don´t demand it. That´s our tragedy and this is what we have to change.

I can't help but writing something, after the repeated reference to "la ley de memoria histórica". First, I totally agree with the need to forgive and advance in our country. But I also think, that it is not only humane but also legitimate that some people (usually old) might know where their relatives were "buried". And honestly, I don't understand that other people might get offended because of this. I would support that were they in one band or in the other. Moreover, I think Zapatero's government has acted quite moderately regarding all this and I have not sensed any eagerness for revenge (I am only referring to our government's actions).

Maria, I agree with you but I think the problem is easier to solve. I have met a lot of people in my life and it is always the same, always criticizing all time and doing nothing, if the people will think in the present time and in trying to do something positive and to leave the past in the past it would be better I am sure but ........ it is comfy to be paralized and to see all in black. I know there are many people very interested in trying the best for our country and solve the important problems we have currently but we have the possibility each four years to do something about it. To vote or not to vote but we can choose.Regards.

About the law “de Memoria Histórica” I had some ancestors who were given “el paseillo” I assure you, their most direct family are already dead. Their grand children don’t care and most of them are bored of hearing always the same history. Only those interested in politics are concerned and want to remove things. Some bounds is better not to touch them, we say in Spain “don’t remove shit, it smells”. This war was our shame, many people used it to solve personal conflicts and jealousies by means of reporting their “enemies” or directly killing them. And this horrible thing happened in both sides. Though 19th and 20th centuries the two Spains were a cancer for our development and peace, we must overcome them, we must become Spain. We must forget. Those who lost the war should forgive (they haven’t done yet)and most important, leave already to take their revenge, which is what they are doing.

Well, but other people care.. I don't think this means taking revenge.

Mercedes, I agree with you in that we criticize but do little, in general (except for voting, in case we vote). I think this has a lot to do with people being so self-centered now (the new generations are called "generacion Yo" with facebook,etc). We are much too worried about ourselves (our little problems, our sadnesses... we never feel really ok) to care about other people, in general.

Elena I don’t mean the law is a revenge, but everything shown in Spanish films, for instance.We are six people, from 50 to 12 years old; we are worried about the crisis, terrorism, unemployment, the housing problem, the wars around the world, &c. We think there are important necessities in our country so as to spend such an amount of money doing something which very few people care and, in addition, can open old bounds. I’d like to spend my tax money in the future of my children, nor in the past of my grandfather, in the same way, we`d rather look to the future than to the past. My mother (75) prefers her retirement pension be increased, rather than her uncle’s grave be found. Money is not something you can stretch like chewing gum, and, at present, we have more urgent necessities in which to spend it.Tat’s, of course, our opinion, which doesn’t mean we cannot respect yours. This is only a discussion, not a quarrel or something similar. What happen is we think that law is backward-looking and we’d prefer our government looked forward, and faced the real problem we have.

Paloma: the verb to remove can translate the Spanish "remover" (to stir) but it is not its first meaning, it means mostly to move away, to take out, to extract, to eliminate. In the particular case you are using it, it can be misleading. If we remove something, and eliminate it, it will not bother us anymore, if we keep it, and do not eliminate it, it will be allways be there so somebody can come again and again and stir it again, so it will smell allways more.

I totaly agree with Paloma we need focus on present, and bounds should be closed. But not only Memoria historica Law, also what was done by others politicians, because they are always passing the ball ones to each others instead of facing the real problems. when PP leaded, they did good and bad things but they were penalized for their mistakens and Psoe won the elections, for this reason they should have taken the responsability of our country, sometimes PP looks to be guilty for our current problems. PP is the oponent and has to toil in its tasks as opposition. Zapatero should take note about this piece of Obama's speech: What is requiered of us now is a new era of responsability, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knoweledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our ALL to a difficult task. this is the price and the promise.

only one more thing, I'd like to leave clear one point, I understand people who want to find their death relatives but please don't be cinical, they find anothers bones and they leave them because they weren't their relatives, were not those bodies deserving of a worthy tomb?